Baker Middle School student, Isaac Cancio, has made his city and school community proud after reaching the top 20 in the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee.
The eighth grader traveled to Washington, D.C., to represent Corpus Christi on the national stage, where he advanced through nine rounds, competing with some of the best spellers from across the country.
Back here at home, students at Baker Middle School expressed their pride and lined the halls with signs and chants of, “Way to go, Isaac,” as they watched his journey unfold on-screen.
His teachers said they weren’t surprised by his success.
“Watching him study with the piles and piles of flash cards that he handmade, was super fun, just watching him carry this massive dictionary,” Todd Molder, one of Isaac’s English teachers, said.
“He’s really inspiring younger students,” added Biology teacher, Susan Hall. “It showed kids that they can do hard things.”
Isaac has been a dominant presence at local and regional spelling bees for years. After clinching the regional title earlier this year, he earned the opportunity to compete on the national stage for the first time.
During the spelling bee rounds, he impressed audiences with poise and vocabulary mastery.
Although one difficult word ultimately ended Isaac’s run just shy of the championship finals, his school community said he’s a champion in their eyes.
“I can speak for all of us when we say that we are unbelievably proud, especially for it being his first national spelling bee,” said Mateo Swallow, one of Isaac’s close friends.
“Seeing everyone cheer for one of my best friends and seeing him put Corpus Christi on the map is beautiful,” added his other classmate, Zuriel Pastoriza.
Teachers and staff echoed that sentiment.
“For all our students to see one of us make it that far is just mind blowing,” science teacher, Daniel Benavides, said.
Isaac expressed he’s grateful for the outpouring of support.
“It’s so amazing to see that everybody at school was just watching me and cheering me on,” Isaac said. “It was just fantastic.”
Isaac will be heading to high school next year and has aged out of the national spelling bee competition. However, he said this experience has only motivated him to continue studying and pursuing his academic goals.
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